BYU crushes UMass with big second half

PROVO, Utah -- It wasn't the start BYU was hoping for at home against fellow independent UMass, but they did respond with a solid finish to smash the Minute Men 51-9 at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars were without their two starting running backs in Jamaal Williams and Squally Canada, but they still managed to pile up 240 yards on the ground due to the play of a freshman, and a transfer from the defensive side of the ball.

Senior middle linebacker Harvey Langi, who once played running back for the University of Utah before transferring to the Y to play defense, scored twice for the Cougars on the ground.

The freshman out of Spanish Fork, K.J. Hall, scored a touchdown for the second consecutive game, and added more than a hundred yards.

But BYU fans were left wondering what was going on after the first quarter. After UMass forced a Taysom Hill fumble, they immediately turned that into points after Andrew Ford connected with Bernard Davis on a 70 yard touchdown reception.

The Minute Men missed the extra point and lead 6-0 after one quarter. But Hall's score in the second lifted blue back up 7-6. A UMass 44-yard field goal temporarily gave them the lead back before Langi's first touchdown of his collegiate career allowed BYU to take a 14-9 lead with them into the locker room.

And in the second half, the Cougars turned it up a notch. Along with Langi's second score, Francis Bernard had a pick six, Hill ran one in from 9 yards in, and Tanner Mangum came in late to find Mitch Juergens in the end zone.

BYU outscored UMass 37-0 in the second half, and will round out the regular season next week at home against instate rival Utah State.